New Spin on an Old Tale

Zeke and the 3 Pig Band

By Arlene Karbashewski

“He’s probably not even home,” Tommy muttered as the three pigs trotted up the walkway to their band mate’s house. Tommy could think of at least a million other things he would rather be doing on such a sunny afternoon as this. One of them was playing his drums.

Jimmy stood tall and stuck out his chin. “Oh, Zeke’s home alright, “said Jimmy, pointing and nodding at Zak and Tommy. “I bet he’s sound asleep all curled up like a little wolf cub.”

If Zeke was sleeping, Jimmy thought, then it was time to wake him up. Jimmy knocked on the door.

Knock!

Knock!

Knock!

“But it’s already after lunch,” Zak said as he checked the time on his cellphone. All he could think about was the big bowl of corn chowder and chunk of sweet cornbread waiting for him at home. His mouth watered and his little round pig belly grumbled at the thought.

It was quiet inside the little red brick house while the three pigs waited outside in the midday sun. Zeke missed their band practice this morning as he slept the day away, probably snoring and scratching and dreaming of full moons and rock songs.

Jimmy knocked on the door again, but louder this time.

KNOCK.

KNOCK.

KNOCK.

 “Wake up, Zeke!” Jimmy hollered at the wooden door.

“He’s not answering. We might as well go…” Tommy sighed as he drummed his drumsticks on top of the wooden railing and against the red bricks of Zeke’s house. Tap, tap, tap, ta-ta-tap, tap, tap, tap.

Zak shook his head at Tommy and stretched his pink pig ear toward the door. “Just wait a bit. I think I hear something…”

CRASH!

BOOM!

SMASH!

“Owwwoooohh!” Zeke howled from somewhere inside the house.

Jimmy smiled as a piggly giggle escaped his lips, “See? I told you he was sleeping.”

“Yeah, but not anymore, that’s for sure,” mumbled Tommy drumming faster and staring wide-eyed at the door.

Thump, thump, thump, THUMP, down the hall the footsteps came, getting louder and louder with each thump. “This better be important,” growled Zeke from right behind the closed door.

Finally, the big door swung open letting out a blast of warm air that smelled of wet wolf fur and stinky feet.

“Oh, hi guys,” Zeke said as he scratched at the mess of fur between his giant black ears and shook his whole body from head to tail just the way big black wolfs do when they wake up from a cozy sleep.

“Zeke, we need to talk to you about something,” Jimmy said as he took a seat in the big easy chair, swinging his legs as his boots dangled above the floor.

“Sorry about the mess, guys,” Zeke smiled apologetically as he scanned the empty pizza boxes and stacks of song books piled on the floor. “I wasn’t expecting company so early in the day.”

Zak who was sitting beside Tommy on Zeke’s couch plucked his cellphone out of his pocket and sighed, “But it’s after lunch, Zeke.” He rubbed his grumbly tummy.

Zeke blinked in surprise, “Really? Oh, I thought it was still morning.” He fidgeted with his bright red suspenders as he squatted on a little wooden footstool. His guests had taken up all the big seats.

“So, you want to talk to me about something?” Zeke asked as he filled the air with black wolf hair from scratching at his ears, neck and chest.

“Well,” Jimmy started to say as he waved away the black hair floating in front of his face, “we’re worried about you.”

Zeke looked from one pig to the other, eyes wide with confusion. “Worried? About me? But why?”

Zak blew a wolf hair off the end of his snout and said, “You sleep all day and you’re late coming to band practice, that is, if you don’t miss practice completely, which is happening a lot lately. It’s hard to practice without a singer and you’re the best singer of us all.”

“He’s the only singer of us all,” Tommy grumbled as he tapped out a beat on the arm of the couch while wishing he were anywhere else but here.

Jimmy added, “Maybe it’s time you went on vacation. You could go to the beach.”

Zeke shook his head, “But I don’t want to go to the beach. The sand gets in my fur and makes me really itchy,” he argued, “and besides, I’m still the same Zeke who loves to sing and dance and fly kites.” Zeke, thinking about sand, started scratching at his back filling the air with his wolfy hair again.

“I love flying kites,” Tommy whispered from the couch, “Except when they get stuck in the trees.”

Zeke smiled at Tommy, “Yeah, me too. And who climbs up the tree to get your kite unstuck?”

“Well, you do of course,” replied Tommy.

“See?” Zeke held out his big furry paws while he pleaded for his friends to agree.

Tommy nodded with hope in his eyes but Zak and Jimmy shook their heads in dismay. Sadly, Zak said, “You’re scary, Zeke. Lately, you howl when you sing and growl and gnash your teeth at the crowd and sometimes you look hungry, really hungry, and lick your lips, just like you’re doing right now.”

“No! That’s not true!” Zeke growled, slimy wolf spit flying in the hairy air making him lick his lips with his big, red, wolf tongue. As he slurped up his own wolf spit, he suddenly realized the pigs were telling him the truth. He bowed his head. His lower lip quivering, he asked, “But what about the band? Who will you get to sing if I’m not here?”

The pigs looked at each other. No one wanted to speak, not even Jimmy. Finally, Zak cleared his throat. “What if we ask Farmer Todd’s daughter to fill in?” Zak really liked her pretty blonde curls and blue eyes and he hoped the other pigs would like his idea.

Tommy scowled and shook his head. “Terrible idea, just terrible,” he replied. “Don’t you all remember what happened last summer when she sang with the Three Blind Mice? Stella, the Farmer’s wife, cut off their tails!”

Zeke nodded frantically as he added, “With a carving knife!”

“Exactly,” muttered Tommy, “she’s dangerous.”

The pigs sat quietly thinking while Zeke sat quietly whimpering.

Suddenly Jimmy sat up tall and exclaimed, “I know, what about Little Bo Peep? She’s kind and sweet and loves to sing…”

Zak and Tommy looked at each other in shock as Zak replied, “Oh no, no, no, not her, Jimmy, she’s, uh, not well.”

Jimmy looked confused, “What are you all talking about?”

Zak explained, “Well, just last week Little Bo Peep lost all her sheep and when she finally found them, someone had cut off their tails! Miss Peep was so upset she tried to sew their poor little sheep tails back on. It was a terrible mess.”

Tommy nodded as he said, “She’s been hospitalized ever since and they took her sheep away.”

Zeke shook his head sadly as he cried, “Sad, so sad.”

Out of ideas, the pigs sat quietly once more. Zeke sniffed and sighed trying not to cry. If only he could stay, he thought. He wished his friends could see what a nice wolf he really was. But what could he do?

Suddenly he had an idea. He wiped the tears from his eyes and sat up straight and tall as he asked his three pig friends a very important question. “I may be howly and growly and even a bit smelly but I’m a good singer and a great friend. If I promise to be on time to every practice, if I promise not to growl and howl at the crowd and if I promise not to scare anyone with my big wolfy fangs, would you let me stay?”

 The pigs looked at one another, thinking very hard.

Jimmy finally asked, “You’ll come to every practice and be on time?”

Zak added, “And you’ll try your best not to growl and howl at the crowd?”

Tommy chimed in, “You don’t scare me.”

Before Zeke could answer, there was a KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK at his front door.

Zeke opened the door.

“Hello, my name is Justin,” said the little beaver standing on the doorstep. He wore a ball cap on his big round head and a bright white t-shirt and baggy jeans. His big beaver eyes sparkled with glee and his smile dazzled in the sun. “I’m new in town,” said the beaver, “and I’m looking for the three little pigs who play in a band? You see, I’m a singer…”

Zeke glared at the little beaver, took a great big breath, and as loudly as he could, he howled, “GO AWAY, GO AWAY! GET OFF MY LAND! YOU WON’T TAKE MY PLACE IN THIS LITTLE PIG BAND!”

Eyes wide and very terrified, the little beaver cried, “Sorry, so sorry!” and ran away as fast as little beaver legs could carry him.

Zeke kept his promises and came to every practice and he hardly ever growled and howled which made everyone very happy. And the little Justin beaver was never heard from again.

THE END.